Food processors desire to package their food products in a manner compatable with the broadest range of consumer needs. Consumers, on the other hand, require the freedom to choose their own serving size. Consequently, foodstuffs are packaged to optimize the consumer's choice of serving sizes whenever practical. However, free-flowing mixtures of different size and density particles segregate after packaging, thereby restricting the feasible serving sizes to one: the entire package. Generally, the art has corrected this problem by agglomerating the segregating mixture to produce a nonsegregating mixture.
In the past, foods have been agglomerated by a variety of methods, including: steaming and contacting the moistened food particles; moistening and pressing the food partciles together, U.S. Pat. No. 518,891 issued to Manwaring; and blending a solid food or foods with an aqueous or an aqueous miscible fluid, U.S. Pat. No. 3,100,909 issued to Schapiro. However, the structure of some foodstuffs, e.g., bread crumbs, collapses at intermediate and high moistures when agitated, thus precluding the use of agglomeration methods wherein the foodstuff is moistened to these levels. Consequently, Hege, U.S. Pat. No. 3,987,138, developed a low moisture method of agglomeration. Hege teaches the use of a small amount of water dispered in a large volume of a nonmiscible, inert, liquid carrier to lightly moisten the food. However, this procedure, may leave an unacceptable residue of the nonmiscible, inert, liquid carrier in the food.
Block et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,409,442, teaches a procedure that produces a single particle by aggregating dry ingredients with a foamed, edible binder. According to the Block et al. disclosure, the foam and not the dry ingredients, provides the agglomerated particle with its structure. Furthermore, the Block et al. teaching directs the production of a perceptually moist product. Consequently, Block et al. disclose that the foaming agent should constitute only about 2% of the foam and that the foam overrun is limited to between 150 to 250%. In the Block et al. process, the foam moistens, agglomerates, and provides the framework for the dry ingredients.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,476,145 by Hardie-Muncy et al. discloses a means for agglomerating food material whose structure is moisture sensative and colapses upon exposure to the moisture levels used in traditional agglomeration methods. This is accomplished in Hardie Muncy by dissolving a hydrophylic binding agent in water and whipping to form a high overrun foam. The foam is then coated on to the moisture sensative material followed by the addition of the other ingredients. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,530,848 by Bannon et al. accomplishes the same end by coating oil onto the surface of a moisture sensative material such as specifically sized bread crumbs then distributing a powdered seasoning over the oil coated crumbs. The oil causes the powdered seasoning to aggregate on the surface of the bread crumbs. The resulting product can be prepared in a single hydration step, and any desired serving size can be easily prepared from a bulk packaged product.
It is, therefore, an objective of the present invention to prepare a portion-controlled, dry pasta product.
A further objective of the present invention is a process for agglomerating dry pasta and other food materials.
Another objective of the present invention is a process for preparing a non-segregating, free-flowing dehydrated pasta product.